Reading and Writing Journey

I will be posting my thoughts on different texts that I will be reading. The destination is not as important as the journey.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Now Onto How Porcupines Make Love III-Chapter One-Three

Chapter One-By Way Of An Introduction: Readers, Writers, and Literature

Basically if I could synthesize this it would be that all are welcomed here. Emerging from the New Criticism where the text is king, this new way of thinking about literature from all walks of life, cultural backgrounds and other considerations is paramount. Thinking about literature and different types of literature considerations and not the classical or the high and low class. Literature is for all and the reader should be able to access what some consider to be the high class but all are welcome at the table,

Chapter Two-Those Kids: Readers, Rappers, Writers, Talkers, Listeners

To continue the synthesis: Strong consideration of the learner as reader. When we consider the adolescent we need to consider their interests and expose them to all kinds of literature. Many times we look at them from an adult lens, instead of considering their interests, backgrounds, cultural ramifications and what speaks universally to certain groups of students. Students tend to want to read what they consider interesting. They do not have an adult lens to look from. Exposure to many different types of readings will enable the students to have access to literature and also allow them access to literature. They will respond in their fashion. Instead of teacher-centric, we could consider the reader-based approach. From that perspective, keeping our focus on the reader, then many great things will flow from the aesthetic. You can get many different places when the transaction is taking action between the text, the reader and the poem.(Rosenblatt). I am so glad I read her book. Its foundational and now I can see how other researchers have gleaned so much from her seminal work.

Chapter Three-Being a Chapter That Deals in Literary Theory and Its Relation to the Curriculum-

Synthesis: Consider the Canon-The Text, The Reader and the Poem

Many different groups help decide the canon of reading for our middle and high school students. There was a shift in thinking. Taking a multicultural approach, the canon is fluid. Changes can be made as needed. Titles will come and go based on different factors and relevance to the readers and audience. Mentioning Rosenblatt's Transactional Theory, we understand how the text is nothing without the reader. Together there is a poetic transaction. Keeping this in mind, it is very important to have the student use a reading response.

So basically considering the cultural, interests, age of the readers is important. When exposing students to different literature, it is important to allow choice in what students can read. The more choice, the more the motivation. Reading is a social act. Students that have time to read, discuss, respond, write and grapple with the text in different situations will bring out the aesthetic which will allow the transaction to continue and flourish.